The newspaper reported, through interviews and documents it obtained, that the pair had taken a one-hour ridealong on the morning of Nov. 10.

The department, the newspaper reported, is investigating whether the ridealong received proper approvals before the flight.

The investigation began after an anonymous complaint was sent to some of the members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and the allegations have upset some because of the helicopter's $1,000-an-hour operating costs.